1.1 What types of control – feedforward, concurrent or feedback – are illustrated in this case? Explain. Imagine having a management system that is so successful people refer to it with capital letters – the Lincoln Management System – and other businesses benchmark their own systems by it. That is the situation of Lincoln Electric. For a number of years, other companies have tried to figure out Lincoln Electric’s secret – how management coaxes maximum productivity and quality from its workers, even during difficult financial times.

Lincoln Electric is a leading global manufacturer of welding products, welding equipment and electric motors, with more than US$2.7 billion in sales and over 10 000 workers worldwide. The company has had a factory in Sydney as part of its global network of operations. The company’s products are used for cutting, manufacturing and repairing other metal products. Although it is now a publicly traded company, members of the Lincoln family still own more than 60 per cent of the shares.